


The Heart Works Overtime

by iloveromance



Category: Mad Men
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-12
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-12-01 05:34:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11479707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iloveromance/pseuds/iloveromance
Summary: Distraught over losing Ted and realizing that she never really had him in the first place, Peggy just wants to be left alone while working late on a Friday night. But Stan just won't go away. (Episode: "In Care Of").





	The Heart Works Overtime

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little something I came up with while watching this episode. Most of the dialogue is from the show but I thought I'd add to it a bit. I have a feeling this will be the first of many Peggy and Stan stories. They are so cute together!

She was staring so intently at the words on the endless pages (the words that meant nothing to her, for she had absolutely no idea what they said) that she didn't notice the figure standing in the doorway.

"Hey."

She looked up to see Stan, clad in his fringed suede jacket and burnt orange shirt. "I thought you left already."

Immediately she resumed shifting through her papers. "No. I've got too much work to do."

His eyebrows rose. "And you thought you'd do it here?"

She shrugged, wishing that he would simply go away. She really didn't want to deal with his obnoxiousness at the moment. She had enough in her life to put up with. More than enough. But she knew that he had a point. It was Friday night and who in the heck worked late on a Friday night, not by necessity but by choice? Women who were destined to be alone forever and for whom working late on Friday night would hopefully make the pain of knowing that they lost someone they loved (or thought they loved) easier. That was who.

"Peggy?"

She sighed deeply and turned around, taking note of the look on his face. The look that stated "You never answered my question".

"Well?" he prompted, as though knowing that she'd read his mind.

"It's where everything is."

The words were true enough… sort of.

He shrugged, apparently satisfied with her answer. "Okay, well… See you on Monday."

She smiled at him; the most fabricated smile she could muster. "Sure. Bye Stan."

When he was gone from her sight, she picked up the papers on her desk and sat down in her chair, staring out of the window. Manhattan was so beautiful, all lit up like this.

It looked like a Christmas card that only lacked snow to be truly perfect.

But true to her own life, nothing was perfect and nothing could ever be perfect; not anymore and perhaps not ever.

The tears came then, one right after another, blurring the Manhattan skyline from view.

"Peggy, I-."

At the sound of his voice she turned around, realizing a moment too late that she had given herself away. He stopped and stared at her in obvious disbelief. "Peggy…"

Quickly she reached for a tissue and blotted her eyes. "Did you need something?"

"No, I just…" He entered the office and stood inches before her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She lied, wishing once again that he would go away. And then she wished that she'd done what she should have done and that was to go home. At least at home she could be alone with her tears. Now she'd humiliated herself.

"What is it?"

"I told you, already. Nothing." she snapped. "Why can't you just believe me?"

Now he stood with his hands on his hips. "Peggy-."

"Will you just leave me alone? I'm fine all right?"

"You don't look fine." He said without any elaboration whatsoever.

"Well… Looks can be deceiving. Besides it's none of your business."

He shrugged and turned away. "All right, fine."

And when he reached the door he paused. "Is this about Ted?"

She gasped in disbelief. "How did you know about that?"

"I just know."

"Well for your information it's not about him. "

Another lie.

"Then what is it?"

"I'm just-."

When she began to cry again, he went to her and sighed. To her surprise, he put his arms around her and held her while she cried. She rested her head on his shoulder, certain that he would protest or worse, leave. But he didn't let go.

Nor did she want him to.

THE END


End file.
